Search For The Father
by StokinDembers
Summary: Ever since I can remember, I've been a weakling. Even as a Nightsister, my identity in the world was something I constantly strove to discover, and the only justification anyone could give me as to why I was so different, why I was such a disappointment to my clan... was to blame my father. A father I had never met. A father in whom my mother never spoke anything about...
1. Chapter 1

Hello readers!  
>This is a Nightsister story set pre-Clone Wars time, that I'm co-writing with the good friend of mine, Sapphire Frost! Just thought I'd share it as we went along and see what you Star Wars fans think! We always love feed back so be sure to review! :)<p>

-StokinDembers

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><p><strong>Search for the Father<br>**

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><p><em> Chapter One<em>

_ ..._

_Ever since I can remember, I've been a weakling. _

_My mother knew it from the moment of my birth, though she was temperate enough not to hate me for it. There were others who were not so passive. She alone had been my safe place; the wings that had sheltered me. I will forever love her for her courage to own up to the disappointment that I truly was, and to continue in her raising of me despite the constant ridicule she received. _

_Mother Talzin, the faithful head of our Nightsister clan for the past decade, could not stand weakness amidst her sister cult. As much of a spiritual being as she was a physical one, Talzin could not stomach the rotten stench of me that seemed to permeate through our sisterhood ranks. Indeed, weakness was not a fault I could have much been blamed for when I was a child, but as I grew, it became a defect that needed weeding out. However, the problem was not so easy to extinguish. It was not a flaw that could be trained out of me, swept away with the slice of an enchanted blade, or drawn out by witch magiks. _

_The sad fact was, I was not strong in the spirits. The Nightsisters prided themselves on their spiritual coexistence with the intangible realm and their enlightenment through our servitude and rituals to the Twin Gods of our planet. Such strength with our spiritual world was revered above all else, and those who's genetic make up enabled them to be naturals at such worship, were reproduced. Those who were weak and unworthy diminished. _

_By carefully selected good breeding between the most promising Nightsisters and only those of the best Nightbrothers, our clan survived, becoming more and more powerful with each new born child. _

_Until me. _

_I was a happenstance Mother Talzin could not understand nor gain wisdom of even in her deepest of meditations. I was a completely unexplainable flaw amidst the perfect ranks of our cult, and when time came for myself to be trained in sorceress ways, Mother Talzin took it upon herself to teach me personally. She would see to it that I would not remain a blemish inside the sisterhood, and that I would grow to become every bit as in touch with the spirit world as my clan sisters. _

_But completing such a task proved to be even more insatiable than my great Mother had expected. As I grew older, and my body was worked to the brink of breaking, even then my desire for knowledge of the spirit realm and the witchcraft ways was practically non-existant. _

_It was as if I was born a stranger amidst my own home. I had absolutely no appetite for the chants, the meditations, the sorcery, or the potions. And so, though I worked five times as hard as anyone else in the clan, my dedicated efforts, along with Mother Talzin's, proved utterly fruitless. _

_I was a soul without passion for the witch ways, and though for the life of me I wished to have it for the sake of my clan, I could not conjure up desires within my heart which were truly not my own. This led to many questions. Why was I this way? Why had I been born without connection to the spirits and even less interest in them? _

_My identity in the world was something I constantly strove to discover and the only justification anyone could give me as to why I was so different, why I was such a disappointment... was to blame my father. _

_A father I had never met. A father in whom my mother never spoke anything about. _

_Ever since Mother Talzin had made the cult decision to separate the males from our domain, little of the Nightbrothers were ever seen, much less spoken about, save for when time came for the mating selections. Even then, the single Nightsister who was ready to make a match would head to the other side of our home world alone, and it was there where the Nightbrothers resided that a male from the warrior ranks would be chosen. _

_Males were a mysterious species all of their own in my mind. I hardly knew what they looked like, much less how to imagine them. All thoughts towards the opposite sex were prohibited within our temple walls. Pursuit of the Twin Gods and spiritual gain were my clan's only desire, and having children was only a part of life that was considered 'necessary' to ensure our culture's survival._

_This being said, my mother never disclosed anything about my father to me, not even so much as his name. But I did overhear _some_ things. Negative things. The quiet musings that were muttered on the subject consisted of nothing but the speculations that it was no doubt a weak link in __**'his' **__genes that had caused my despicable condition. That I was a result of__** 'his'**__ genetic defect. _

_My mother neither confirmed or denied these accusations, but though she kept her opinions hidden, I more often than not would silently defend him. Even if he was the cause for my disgrace in the clan, that meant we at least had something in common. Neither of us were perfect, and to me, that made him a great source of comfort. _

_Well, as the years past, with much physical training and my skills being incessantly challenged in combat, I soon became quite the adept warrior and hunter. Though getting me to interact in meditations or incantations was pointless, for I added absolutely nothing to the equation, I at least proved myself to be a formidable fighter, and that was a relief, to myself as well as my mother. _

_When I was sixteen, I was sent out with the other two girls my age on a mission to earn the rank of 'warrior' amidst our clan. I succeeded in my quest, a bit ahead of the others, and that glorious achievement was the first time I actually felt I was worth something. _

_In the years following I worked all the harder to improve myself in every physical way I could. My flexibility and agility were arts I sculpted as often as I was able without bringing permanent damage to my body. Amidst this time, I forged only one friendship with a fellow Nightsister, outside of my mother, and even that friendship would sometimes be vastly strained considering my bitter attitude often left much to be desired. _

_None the less, I survived in a mediocre existence, all the while wondering as to if I would ever meet my father, and whether or not the life of a Nighsister was truly meant for me..._

_Little had I known, that the day of my twentieth birthday would change my life forever._

_()()() _

"Souza."

At the sound of my birth mother speaking my name, I glanced up from the book of incantations I had been reading within the temple's library to see her standing in the entry way, looking at me with a curious shine in her eyes. Intrigued, I set my book down, not even caring to mark my page and stood up from my chair, giving her all of my attention.

"What is it?" I inquired. I could not quite puzzle out the look upon her face, and it worried me.

"The _Mother_ wishes to speak with you," she replied softly. Her tone did not betray any hint of emotion, which was unusual. One thing about my birth mother, Senwah, was that she was always honest in her expressions and the words she spoke. For her to speak without any indication of it being good or bad news was troublesome to me.

"Of course," I replied readily, striding forward quickly to follow her out from the ancient library.

Hot steam arose from the enchanted waters that winded their way below our temple, creating a rather heavy, humid atmosphere; one that was always warm and never too cold to wear my red and black, skin revealing sister garbs. The planet's temperature over all was warm, and wearing multiple layers of clothes was never necessary, unless you were intentionally trying to have a heat stroke.

Together, my mother and I walked through the holy temple to the main gathering room, centered within the core of our fortress. It was large and spacious, with an opening high in the rock ceiling that gave direct view to the redish-orange skies above, and green mists hovered about the air, adding to its mystic and haunting aura. A thick, round stone table was in the center of the place, and Mother Talizin stood beside it.

It was upon our entrance that she faced us and my mother bowed to swiftly leave us in privacy.

"Come, my young sister," Talzin beckoned, her voice booming about me. I hastily climbed up the stone steps towards her before bowing my own head in reverence.

"How may I serve you Mother?" I inquired humbly.

"It has been a long and troubling road for you, but you have finally come of age," Mother Talzin spoke thoughtfully. I stayed quiet, my curiosity peaked. Mother Talzin paused a moment then fixed her ghostly green eyes upon me.

"I have decided that it is time for you to choose a mate."


	2. Chapter 2

Here we have chapter two people! Mother Talzin, Brother Viscus and any other canon characters mentioned are obviously NOT mine, but all others are Oc's!

:D Enjoy!

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><p><strong>Search for the Father<br>**

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><p>Chapter Two<strong><br>**

...

_Umm... what? _

I blinked in stupefied wonder for what felt like hours before Mother Talzin set a hand on my shoulder and the world came crashing back down upon me.

"You will travel to the far side of Dathomir, to the Nightbrother village of Soondeen and select a maleling warrior out of Brother Viscus's tribe. One who is strong physically of course, but who also exhibits a prowess in spiritual intellect," the Mother continued calmly.

_Me choose a mate? ME!? Why? How? I... what? _

"I know what you are feeling child," Talzin proceeded, "But allow me to explain to you my reasons on the matter."

I nodded quickly, more than eager to understand why the Mother would think me fit, after all my years of spiritual incompetence, to produce an offspring, when weakness was something to be snuffed out, not encouraged amidst our clan!

"It has come to my understanding that certain recessive genes don't always remain constant throughout a lineage... but infrequently are known to skip a generation... " Mother Talzin stated, her tone drawn out and steady. I listened with interest, brows narrowed slightly in perplexity.

"And... you believe this is what has happened with me?" I inquired.

"It is a great possibility," Mother Talzin responded, "And if my speculation indeed proves correct, then it will be _your_ offspring, that shall carry all of the spiritual potential that you yourself have lacked, and more."

This was a lot of news to take in and I lowered my eyes away from the Mother in order to try and sort through my thoughts. Go into the very midst of the males? Alone!? Why... I didn't even know how to interact with them! I had been told they were more brutish than we, and had once studied on the fact that, a long time ago in Nightsister history, males had been used as house hold servants in our culture. But beyond that I was clueless. I had no idea what to expect, and I found myself flustered and scared.

I wasn't ready for a mate! I... well... how did one really know when they were ready anyway? How had my birth mother known? How had she ultimately chosen the mate for her? I had never talked to her on this subject. Perhaps now, in light of the circumstances, she would feel open in discussing these things with me.

"I understand," I said at last, knowing that Mother Talzin was waiting for a reply from me. "I shall leave before the night falls."

"Very good. Once the male is selected, you are permitted to bring him back with you here, but he will stay only until a child is conceived," Mother Talzin ordered, lifting a strict finger towards me, as if this was a point of argument she'd had with some of the other sisters before me.

"Yes Mother," I answered quickly. Talzin smiled lightly and gestured that I was free to take my leave. I did so hastily, my mind and heart under an entirely new strange spell. None of this felt real.

()()()

As I walked the halls of our temple, passing the other Nightsisters on my way to my birth mother's private meditation quarters, I contemplated this turn of events and tried to process everything at once. This meant so much. Not only would I be leaving to find a mate, but I would get to travel through Dathomir's vast expanse of wilderness all on my own... I would have to face at least two nights alone during my travels, combatting whatever dangers or troubles that arose all by myself. And once I did get into the Nightbrother village how was I to sort through however many young males awaited me there? It was all so daunting, and yet, I felt a strange amount of excitement kindling within me. The more I thought about the interesting challenge that it would provide for me, the more I convinced myself I was more than ready for it.

When I reached my birth mother's quarters, I stepped inside quietly and sat cross legged in front of her. She was deep in a trance, her eyes closed, her arms uplifted and chin high to the sky. A scented bowl of orange mist wafted in the air between us and I watched and waited. Sometimes it took my birth mother mere minutes to come out from her trance, other times- hours.

While I sat, patiently waiting, my mind wandered once again to the many questions I had. What would these males look like? Would they be frightening or friendly? I was mostly expecting the former... Closing my eyes, I recalled the first time I had been told anything about my father.

"Indeed he was strong, but too wild. A male must be tame and have a good presence of mind to be of any use. Senwah should have known this. But she chose as she chose. And now you, poor child, reap the consequences."

This had been Mother Talzin's exact words regarding the issue during the one and only time I had dared ask.

The sound of a deep breath caused my eyes to flash open, and I watched as my birth mother emerged from her trance with a sigh. She lowered her arms and slowly opened her eyes to perceive me sitting before her.

"Souza," she greeted me with a warm smile and I smiled lightly back.

"I have seen the future my daughter," she said, reaching forward and taking my hands affectionately in her own. I pursed my lips and stayed quiet, knowing enough to be respectful and wait until she was finished speaking before I laid my own problems at her feet.

"The future concerning _you_," my mother said, causing my eyes to widen. Not ever had my birthmother received visions about me... About the clan, about missions, about circumstances far off in the galaxy... yes, but never solely just about me! I struggled between thinking it to be an honor, or a foreboding omen. I braced, suddenly tense at what was going to be spoken.

But my mother was not sorrowful or hesitant. She was beaming, and this was definitely a good sign.

"You will find great happiness and love!" She expressed gaily, squeezing my hands. I blinked, then smiled brighter, all tension gone and feeling free to partake in her own excitement.

"This is a wonderful encouragement to me!" I expressed with relief.

"Yes, but happiness and love are not all you shall find. I have seen that you will find your inner self. You will find your identity, and your heart will finally be at home," my mother pressed on, her joyous smile infectious.

Even though I was unable to help smiling back, I did my best to understand what all her words meant. Was I to find a mate, fall in love and be happy here with the Nightsister's the rest of my life? Was I truly going to become content with this life? I suppose in a way, that was what I had been wanting all my life, but at the same time, I felt a hesitancy. Did I really _want_ to be content with this life?

Swallowing, I pulled myself from my thoughts.

"Mother Talzin has deemed me ready to choose a mate," I spoke. "I am to leave before nightfall."

My mother's smile lessened slightly into one that was more sympathetic than truly joyful.

"And you are concerned?" she asked. I was about to deny it, but thought better of it. My birthmother was strong with the spirits, and could sense a liar a mile away.

"Slightly," I admitted with a grimace.

"It is perfectly natural," my mother replied sweetly, squeezing my hands and then releasing them in order to rise and grab the bowl of enchanted contents.

"Will you tell me about you and my father? How did you choose him?" I asked eagerly, not wanting to risk my mother closing up into silence once more.

She brought the bowl over to a side shelf of rock and with a weary sigh, set it down with a gentle click against the stone.

"Your curiosity is misplaced. The key to your future does not lie in the past. Even if I did tell you all about how I met and chose your father, it would only serve to place pre-conceived ideas of how your own experience will be and bring great confusion to you when the time comes," she stated resolutely.

Clenching my jaw in frustration, I stood up and balled my hands into fists. After all these years, she still refused to tell me what I really wanted- no- what I really _needed _to know.

"Mother... why? Why can't I know about my father?" I asked angrily.

"Because it is not important," my mother returned sharply, turning to face me with a strict composure.

"But it _IS_ important! It's important to me!" I cried out.

"No more of this. No more! We are forbidden to speak of the Nightbrother's within the temple as it is," my mother ordered harshly. I went to continue my argument, but she cut me off.

"What questions you have about your father you will simply have to go and find out for yourself. He was raised amidst Brother Viscus's tribe and it is only there that you will discover the truths you seek," she practically spat.

I blinked, shocked at my mother's sudden show of bitterness. I had not seen this side of her before and it bothered me deeply. Nodding, I left without another word and proceeded to go and fetch my weapons. If I was to leave before nightfall, it was best I went to gather my essentials now.

My adventure was about to begin, and I was determined to be ready for it.

...


	3. Chapter 3

Greetings readers!  
>Here I have another chapter for you! Thus far, I've been the sole writer for these last three chapters, but after this, my friend Sapphires Frost will be incorporating her chapters along with mine! To be clear for those interested, I'm going to start putting the name of the author at the top of the chapters from now on so you guys know who is writing what like this:<p>

This chapter written by: StokinDembers

Anyway, enjoy!

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><p><strong>Search For The Father<strong>

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><p>Chapter Three<p>

...

My belongings were few but it took some time to pack none the less. Gathering my travel bedding and extra clothing, I laid them neatly inside a bag before assembling each of my weapons. I was an expert with a light bow, as well as several enchanted throwing knives and a deadly short blade. Each of these I would bring, just in case I were to come across any trouble during my journey, or even perhaps once I'd arrived at my destination...

Would those in the Nightbrother village really speak more freely concerning matters about my father than my own mother had? Would I have to force the answers I sought out of them? Shaking my head I sheathed my knife and slapped it into my bag.

Traveling across Dathomir would be no small task. It would take two days to reach Soondoon, even when riding aboard a speeder bike which I would be permitted to use. But aside from the long lonely days ahead of me, it was the unfamiliar terrain that I didn't look forward to.

During my training years of exploring thus far, I'd never left the borders of our local jungle training grounds. Anything beyond the dense forest would be totally new to me. I had been made to memorize various maps of our great lands, and because of such vigorous studies, I was confident that I would know the way, but that did not mean I would be wholly prepared for what kinds of landscape I would encounter.

Strapping my bow to my back, I picked up my pack and strode out of my room and out through the vast temple halls.

Briefly, I glanced around to see if I could spot my one and only friend, but I knew it was unlikely. We ran in different circles these days, since our last spat out.

In my heart I would admit that I still regretted the fight in which I had primarily started, but there was no fixing things now.

I was leaving. Maybe by the time I returned with my... _mate_... my friend would have forgotten about our argument.

Once outside, I moved to the speeder bay where the few vehicles the clan possessed were parked under safe cover and straddled a two seated speeder. Casting my bag into the empty seat, I flipped on the engine and took a deep breath. This was it... Closing my eyes, I sent out a silent prayer to the Twin Gods for my safety, (not that they had ever bothered to pay me a speck of attention before) and then, I gassed the throttle.

Dathomir's evening light was slowly sinking down over the horizon line and I knew I had quite a lot of ground to cover before I camped for the night. I zoomed out of the garage and soon was immersed by the jungle foliage.

Maneuvering past the thickly clustered, tall drooping trees and various poisonous shrubs of the Nightsister territory, I wondered if I was going to be so unfortunate as to run into any kind of vicious native carnivore, such as the bad tempered and _massive_ rancor...

An encounter with a creature like that was bound to ruin my day...

As the sky darkened around me, the trees became less and less clustered and a valley began to open up. I drove in the blackness with the guidance of my speeder's front headlights, until I was too tired to go on. I did not like the idea of stopping, for I felt safest moving fast through the wild lands aboard my vehicle. But ultimately, my tiredness won out, and I was forced to make camp. I parked the speeder in a group of close growing trees and bedded down for the night, all the while listening to the millions of croaking and chirping insects that filled the silence.

Before I knew it I was waking to a light red sky and turned over to find my speeder bike was being investigated by two large birds of prey. They scared easily once I got up and soon I was back aboard my transportation and speeding off through the terrain once again.

The world looked different in the light and I found myself staring about me at the vast views with interest. It was... different, but beautiful. The valleys were more open and I could see quite a ways into the distance. I rather liked getting to see all around me for once. In the forest, one was prevented from ever seeing too far. Out here, I felt almost free. Free from my clan, free from their expectations, free from their limitations.

Dathomir's giant blood red moons swirled above in the outer atmosphere and I smiled at their beauty as my bike sped across the grassy expanse. That day I passed many lively water creeks and spotted numerous amounts of interesting animals in which I'd never seen before. Some of them worried me, but they never had the chance to get close enough to become a real concern.

All the while I was accompanied only by the constant sound of my speeder engine. Being alone in the wilderness was not as lonely as I had anticipated. I was too busy being alert and thinking about what lay ahead of me, than not having anyone to talk to.

For the second night, I had just crossed over into a very desolate, desert like country and resigned to making camp out in the scantily covered landscape. I felt a bit too open and vulnerable out there, but the good thing about having little cover was that no dangerous creatures could hide from my sight should they approach in the darkness. Out there, it was far more quiet than it had been in the valley. Not even insects chirped into the eery silence. Only the wind whistled its soft tunes into my ear as I fell into a weary sleep.

()()()

Upon awaking on the last morning of my journey, my stomach flipped at the mind numbing realization that this was the day that would change my life. The day I would see my very first male, the day I would choose my mate, and...the day I would quite possibly meet my father...

After eating my packed herbs and native fruits swiftly, I was back upon my speeder and racing across the desert until I crested a significantly large hill. Beyond it, lie large, exotic trees and shrubs once more. They were not as thickly situated as those in the jungle forests of my home on the other side of the planet, but they were pleasant and colorful to look at.

Two hours into my riding routine, my eyes finally caught the first sign of civilization.

A strong stone, zabrak built tower loomed upon the side of a mountain, overlooking the valley and standing as a pillar of greeting towards those who approached. Unlike any kind of architecture I had ever seen before, it caused both a cultivation of caution and excitement to simmer within me. I clutched my speeder handles all the tighter, knowing that by now, someone in that tower had seen me, even if I could not see them. The tower was positioned smartly in the rock scape as a scout post, no doubt purposefully.

It would be a good position to defend the way the tower was stationed, and no doubt had been built so in order to withstand the early pirate raids that had once been so common in Dathomir's not too distant history.

I forged on past the tower, knowing where I was going only because I had studied a map of villages, and had been required to memorize the various locations.

I had that map imprinted into my brain now, and took a second to consult it before motoring on and adjusting my course ever so slightly for that one Nightbrother tribe in particular that I was to visit.

Soondoon.

As I neared the location, my heart beat quicker within my chest.

Word had no doubt been signaled of my coming approach because up ahead, where the ancient village awaited me, plenty of activity was about it. In the fast coming distance, I could see their forms walking and jogging swiftly from their modest, box shaped hut homes and through their freshly plowed fields.

These beings were _large_ with thicker, broader chests and narrow wastes. The closer I got, the more details I saw, and the more excited I became. Their shoulders were big and round, their arms were well muscled and their heads were crowned with sharp intimidating horns.

Zabraks of all heights, skin colors and tattoos came into their flat dirt streets as I shifted down my speeder's engine and passed between their village entrance pillars to slow to a stop in the town square.

And it was a decent little town, to be sure. Far different than anything I was accustomed to, but it was still wonderful in its own unique way.

For one thing, it was wide out in the open with the skies bearing down upon them and light shone everywhere. Each building was constructed roughly by hand, the homes, the markets, the shops, everything.

It was so unlike the dark, shadow haunted caves of the Nightsister fortresses, and it was a refreshing sight to me.

Pulling my speeder to a final halt, I gathered my resolve and dismounted from my bike to stare in awe of my new surroundings. Males were everywhere, and they were... quite amazing to behold.

But while there was a substantial amount of interest in myself towards them, it was balanced with a healthy amount of caution.

All my life I had been taught that the males were not nearly as intelligent as us sisters, and that they tended to prefer solving their problems with their fists rather than their heads.

However, while this knowledge was a bit disconcerting, I had also been consoled by Mother Talzin that Brother Viscus and his tribe were very well tamed individuals and that I needed not to fear them in any way.

For thousands of decades, the Nightbrothers had been subject to the Nightsister's whims, and that was a fact that would never change.

For this reason alone, I did not feel the need to draw my weapons, even as the zabraks gathered curiously around me.

I had been wearing my black and red travel hood, which concealed my mouth and head from the wilderness conditions, but now that I was amidst civilized society, I pulled the head cover away, freeing my extremely long, thick dark dread locks.

I waited, my eyes scanning the crowd, unsure of exactly who to approach. This was all so new to me. I could hardly take it in.

Then, to my relief, a zabrak with a tall crown of horns, who's skin was a pale orange and streaked with black tats, emerged from what looked like the central building and strode up to me, followed by a fellow brother behind him.

"Welcome, sister," the orange zabrak spoke, being a full two heads taller than myself. "I am Brother Viscus," he introduced, bowing from the waist to me.

"In what way can we be of service to you?" the head Nightbrother inquired humbly.

...

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><p>Okay guys! Hope you enjoyed the read and please leave some reviews for me! They are always so encourating!<p>

Up next, my good friend Sapphires Frost is going to jump on in with her character! The next chapter will be all her writing! Yippee! :D


	4. Chapter 4

Well readers, some good news and bad news.

The bad news is my friend has had to back out of personally writing in this fanfiction fic due to time restraints and a very busy schedule.

However, the good news is, we still have all of the written content of the story that we've orchestrated together, and while she cannot be spared to do the fine tuning of our previous rough drafts, I will be doing it for her in each of her character's point of view chapters in order so that you will not be robbed!

So, if that makes any sense to you, here is the introduction to her character of this story, and I hope you all love him!

* * *

><p><strong>Search For The Father<strong>

* * *

><p>Chapter Four<p>

...

_Life wasn't easy within Brother Viscus' great tribe of Soondoon._

_Since early childhood, my mere existence was a constant battle for survival. I was raised amidst warriors who were bred and conditioned not to fail, but to be made great beyond the simple skill of surviving. My peers and I had to be torched by the hotest fires of tribulation and come out from the flames unscorched, more resilient, and more battle hardened than ever._

_But above the brawn and bravado instilled within us from the youngest of ages, the most critical asset to learn- was that of servitude. Every Nightbrother, despite the pride he took in his strength and physical abilities, had to understand that his life was not his own... but that he was meant to serve._

_And not just to serve one another- which my father so dutifully taught me- but to serve the **Nightsisters**._

_Just their name sent shivers down many a Nightbrother's spine. The Nightsisters were cold, heartless witches who lived in mysterious secrecy on the far side of the planet, practicing their magiks and sorceries. Rare were the times when a Nightsister would emerge from her temple and into our territories where she came seeking a potential mate or other provisions that our village could provide._

_And we brothers were fine with this. The less we saw of them, the better._

_Relations between our Nightbrother clans and the Nightsister cults had gone on upon our planet of Dathomir for many centuries, and thus, traditions set in permanent stone had been etched into each of our very beings. But these traditions had been built upon a decidedly prejudice nature... and not to our brothers' advantage._

We_ were servants. _We_ were lesser beings. We were the _**brutes**_._

_And yet, to me, it was the Nightsisters who seemed the true heartless beasts._

_My opinion of them had been steadily formed from the beginning of my earliest childhood memories. Being born a male into a Nightsister clan was perhaps a fault I could not be blamed for- but it was one I suffered for none the less. Since the Twin Gods had decided for me not to be a girl, and therefore -not a potentially powerful witch- I had been speedily discarded by my mother and tossed off to my father, who then spent the next set of many tireless years soothing the pain of abandonment that my mother had coldly scarred me with._

_And it was not **just** my mother who displayed such blatant disregard. The witches' attitudes in general towards my people were reserved and indifferent at best; domineering, cruel, and violent at worst._

_And we took it. Never once did we rebel, strike back, or retaliate. The Nightbrothers submitted and tolerated whatever treatment the Nightsisters thought fitting for us. Why? I still do not fully understand. _

_However, despite these unfortunate relations, life under prejudice customs was not always infuriating. In fact, for the most part, I enjoyed it. Within the safety of the clan I had grown strong, enduring a long series of incredibly difficult challenges, both falling and rising to the occasion._

_As previously mentioned, life was not easy. I often suffered for my failures, but my father, Neprad, had been a surprisingly patient man, even gentle when the time allowed. It was because of him alone that I was taught the finer points of not only maintaining a strong physic, but a strong character. Through numerous lessons, I learned to value such things as intelligence, ingenuity and integrity._

_Years of maturing with a well rounded education and the added privilege of a father who was second man only to the tribal leader Brother Viscus, I will not deny that I was a seen as one of the most promising of our breed amidst the tribe- next to Viscus's own son of course._

_Sivas and myself had never been the closest of friends- for the contention between us regarding the compeitive spirits we both possessed was too great. Unfortunately, everything between us was compared, and such comparisons only proved to put us at odds with one another. At one point in our childhood, I believe we could have had the potential to be friends- but Sivas had too much pride, and therefore kept me at arms length._

_That was fine with me. I tended to prefer the ever comforting company of my father anyway. Besides, I had a few obnoxiously persistent peers in the village who took care to keep me as included as possible in mischievous schemes. Needless to say, I often longed for solitude._

_I enjoyed reading very much- which was an odd habit in the minds of most zabraks- but I invested in it none the less. Though history texts often fascinated me, I also spent a good deal of time reading up on the more spiritual aspects of life._

_My father was strong with the spirits, which was indeed why my mother had selected him, but as result, so was I. And these abilities of mine were not over looked. Neprad coached me in those things as well, though it was done explicitly in private. After all, spiritual matters were left to the Nightsisters, and practicing their ways was not looked upon with appreciation amidst our brothers._

_For me, connecting with the spiritual energies of our universe came as natural as breathing. I often meditated in my room for hours, expanding my senses and trying to extend farther than I'd accomplished before._

_And all the while, I knew deep down with great apprehension and bitterness that I was being prepared. Prepared for that nerve wracking and possibly life threatening event. I was being prepared for the **Selections**._

_Prepared so that I might be chosen..._

_Chosen by a Nightsister..._

()()()

It seemed a day as any other.

I was up early as usual so that my father and I could practice our fighting in the courtyard of our home and afterwards, my father left to attend to the tribal managing needs of Brother Viscus.

Shortly following, I too left our home to get to my own work. As the son of a highly-influential man in the clan, I had known from a young age that great things were expected of me.

Today, like all days, there were many jobs to be done which required my attention.

The first of which was to inspect the fields that fed the clan. It was custom for me to do this before the breaking of daylight, for I always preferred to escape the worst of the heat. There was nothing I loathed more than sweating under the hot sun star in a field where fire-bugs and other irksome insects liked to buzz incessantly.

Farming was not a chore I felt particularly exemplary in, but I did it out of necessity for my father. As hard as I tried, not all of my responsibilities did I delight in looking forward to.

After my walk about the budding fields, noting the promise each of the small starting sprouts had, I made sure to document sections of the plot that were too dry, and retuned the sections of the water feeder system accordingly. It was not a long task and soon I was able to start on my return walk for the village. The sun star had now risen and the beauty of its brightness had crested over the valley.

It was as I was making my way back from the crops, nearly to the edge of town, that I caught the sudden sight of a rooster-tail of dust in the distance. Squinting, I peered against the bright star reflecting off the course, dry ground to better perceive what it was I had glimpsed.

Then, it was clear.

While it was not often we received outlander visits, it had happened enough that I recognized the style of the speeder and the rider in red perched in one of the two seats almost immediately. And with the recognition- came the sudden feeling of ice water running through my veins, pooling mainly into my stomach.

It was undoubtably a Nightsister.

Grimly, I pursed my lips and recalled the one occasion in my past where I had been the temporary interest of a Nightsister who had come looking for a mate. Luckily for me, I had been deemed too young to enter into the Selection, though I had only been 19 at the time. I was now 21, with my horns fully grown in and more muscle and skill developed than even I could have possibly anticipated.

There would be no reason to be excused from the Selection this time...

For as long as I'd been trying to accustom myself to the upcoming reality of my situation, the idea of a Nightsister taking me as a mate still seemed intangible, and caused a swelling of uncertain emotions within me. I could safely say that I was greatly intimidated and disgusted by the Nightsisters, but what bothered me more was that I had no choice but to commit to them.

Treachery was unthinkable. Of all the decades in our long history of civilization on this planet- less than a handful of zabraks had ever attempted escape from this fate- and all had fallen into unspeakable shame.

I watched as the speeder and its red robed passenger passed swiftly by, passing through the village entrance pillars. She swooped into the main square where she suddenly braked her speeder and came to an abrupt halt, spraying dirt and dust in her wake.

Despite the fact that I knew I was quite possibly walking to my doom... I continued walking on towards the village entrance. For all my years of preparation and training, I had to believe that things would somehow work out for the best. My father expected nothing but excellence from me after all, and it was my deepest wish to not disappoint him.

And besides this, I was a victim of curiosity.

From what I could see, the Nightsister had dismounted her speeder in one lithe movement. In doing so, she had also removed her robes travel hood, disclosing her face to the brothers who now gathered.

She was beautiful.


	5. Chapter 5

Hello once again faithful readers!

Here we go, back to Souza's POV! Enjoy and please review to let me know your thoughts!

* * *

><p><strong>Search For The Father<strong>

* * *

><p>Chapter Five<p>

...

Brother Viscus stood before me, his hands clasped behind his back and a curious, attentive expression upon his face. He was waiting for me to answer him, and my mind momentarily drew a blank. I was so caught up in the new surroundings and all the zabraks- even the sound of Brother Viscus' deep, totally _male_ voice, that I had to kick my brain back into gear.

_Why was I here again? Well, I did have some questions regarding my father, but there was something else more pressing than that... if only I could remem- Oh yes! That was right! To find a mate! _

_AHHHHHHHHH! _

Internally screaming, I swallowed in the painfully awkward moment of silence before I finally managed to get my mouth to speak.

"I have come for the Selection," I answered at last, hoping my voice had projected more confidently than I felt.

"Of course," Brother Viscus replied quickly, nodding and glancing back to the zabrak brother just behind him. The zabrak smiled and moved off into the nearest office building to do Brother Viscus' silent bidding.

I took an opportunity to analyze the zabraks surrounding me in all their male glory and couldn't help but feel tiny and brittle in their midst. For someone who had worked her whole life to become strong, being now confronted with specimines who were born for superior strength made me feel extremely insignificant.

And yet... these males submitted themselves to the Nightsisters? The concept seemed in that moment totally ludicrous. The sheer mass of each them suggested they were equipped with more than enough power to take care of themselves!

However, there was something to say for sharp mindedness and having the resources to dominate those around them, and clearly, the Nightbrothers lacked certain brain capacity or they would not be so simple to control and manipulate.

Then, quite suddenly, a trumpet was sounded, the blast loud and clear, piercing the air.  
>I almost jumped in surprise of it, but refrained just barely in time.<p>

In a flash, zabraks from every direction were brought to attention, and before I knew what was happening, young males were shouldering their way through the older members of the crowd, some even spilling out of door ways and jogging down the streets to form up in the town square in perfectly lined rows before me.

They stood with their feet shoulder width apart and their arms poised by their sides. Their chins they kept high and they each stared straight ahead.

My mouth went dry as I cast my gaze over the large group of about fifteen males.

"They await your terms for the Selection," Brother Viscus spoke gently by my side.

_My terms? Jeeze... Now I really wish I'd come more prepared... What would Mother Talzin do?_

I'd come to ask myself this same question in many circumstances before, and in the past it had helped me, but this time, I was still left utterly hapless.

Still, determined not to look like the weakling I'd been labeled by my clan my whole life, I put on a mask of firm resolve and strode forward with a hard, confident air.

I was the leader here and they were to answer to _my_ orders. It was only right that I needed to actually play the part that they expected of me. With a deep breath, I lifted my own chin high and paced to the front of the ranks, analyzing the males with carefully reserved curiosity.

The males before me ranged in all sorts of skin colors, from bright vibrant reds, light tans, yellows, subtle greens and muted oranges.

Several did I find instantly striking upon first sight. I was getting my first taste of what it felt to be naturally attracted to the physical appearance of another and I would admit, it bothered me.

I was most sincerely horrified with myself for how my stomach lurched when my gaze crossed over a particularly handsome brother's face and our eyes locked briefly. His skin was pale with the slightest hint of green, and his tattoos were almost flattering with how they enhanced the best qualities of his facial features. His eyes though... his eyes were what brought on a strange, unwelcome, fluttery feeling within my stomach.

Steadying my nerves and willing myself not to be surprised with any more of my body's rogue reactions towards these finely built males, I began to sort out in my head how I wanted this selection to be run. Since I'd never seen them done before, I had little to go off of, but these males must have been highly familiar with the ritual, since this was what they were to always expect from the visiting Nightsisters.

I noticed that the way in which the males were aligned must have had to do with their ranks within the tribe, though I couldn't possibly puzzle the lines system myself. I only had to assume that the zabraks towards the front were of more importance. Indeed, the male I'd found particularly handsome was among those in the first row.

Clearing my throat, I formed my words for a speech.

"This Selection is to determine the strongest and most able minded competitor. Naturally, the one who proves himself constant in these qualities through a series of challenges will be the winner," I announced in a loud, clear tone.

"But understand, this competition will not just put your physical skills to the test, but your mental and spiritual capacities as well," I informed.

"The Selection will begin with the usual set of skill challenges, but when it comes down to the final four competitors, the games will alter," I continued, watching the faces of the males as I spoke. None seemed to betray any thoughts or emotions. Did they even have them?

"Good luck, and let the Selection begin," I concluded, taking a step back in closing to look once more over the entire group.

I was determined to not show favoritism towards any one of them until I saw the results of how well they prevailed in combat. No way was I silly enough to get attached and only set myself up for disappointment.

I looked over to Viscus and the lead Brother took the initiative to speak.

"We shall begin with hand to hand combat, followed by ax throwing, then spear hurling, and staff duels. Those of you who fail shall be eliminated, while those who continue to show greatness shall advance to the next challenge. Now, you shall assemble quickly at the Selection arena. Dismissed."

And with that, the orderly ranks quickly broke apart as the young males darted away to fetch their various weapons and the older, veteran onlookers moved off to continue with their daily chores.

Brother Viscus motioned an invitation for me to follow him and I did so, a bit woozily. Not only did I have to find a male who was well equipped in each style of combat, but I had to find one with promising spiritual intellect...

This was going to be a _long_ day...


	6. Chapter 6

Hey readers! Here we go with chapter 6!

* * *

><p><strong>Search For The Father<strong>

* * *

><p>Chapter Six<p>

...

I was seated in an honorary position at the edge of the Selection arena just beside Brother Viscus and his second in command, and it was from there that I stayed to watch the competitions throughout the day.

Bones were broken in the hand to hand combat, axes were thrown into wooden target boards, spears where hurled with gobsmacking might, and the staff sparring was completely inthralling to witness. All in all, half way into the day of watching these young males compete with all their best, I had almost forgotten what they were competing for!

At last, the numbers of the zabrak were steadily knocked down till merely four young men remained. I had not asked Brother Viscus to distinguish to me just who these four were, since I wanted to remain aloof and only interest myself in those with excellent abilities, not their identities. But goodness, was I struggling!

One of the remaining males was indeed the same zabrak I had first laid my eyes on while they had each stood before me in ranks. He'd been in the first row, so I knew he had to be someone of significance... but just who? All day he'd been consistently proving his worth and now that the selection was quickly drawing to a close, I was put further onto the edge of my seat.

Thus far I had watched the competitions with keen interest, fascinated and thrilled at the amount of sheer force these zabrak males possessed, but now, my stomach was wound tight with anxiety.

As the four zabraks withdrew from those who had just been disqualified, they came to stand and await their next orders. Each were strong, well abled and good looking in their own way, but I simply could not refrain from favoring two over the other two.

I now rose from the seat I had been using for the day and stepping away from Brother Viscus, I approached the final four.

"You have each shown great skill and power in circumstances that require brute force," I praised. "But how will you stand up when it comes to using your mind to get yourself out of a difficult situation?" I asked, now backing up and guiding the four into a section of a large rock maze.

"Not only do you have to reach the middle of the maze, and attain one of the four flags awaiting you there, but you have to retrace your steps and find your way back out," I explained as we neared the four separate entrances.

"The one who comes in last, is disqualified," I stated, looking over the zabrak's faces. None seemed very concerned. Two looked extremely confident, while one was thinking a lot, and the last, the one I couldn't deny appreciating, seemed only calm. After a short pause, I shouted, "Go!"

Each zabrak had to enter from a different section of the maze, and thus had a different course they would need to memorize. I watched in amusement as one of the more confident zabraks shoved the calm one into the other two competitors before taking off for what appeared to him the most promising maze entrance.

The other two, disgruntled and slightly angry with the one who'd shoved them took off directly after, while the calm one entered last.

Interested to see how this would turn out, I glanced about and raced to a tall cliff face that over looked the maze. It was a suitable, high vantage point which allowed me to oversee each of the zabrak's progress from above.

I sat down, crossing my legs in a meditation stance and silently fretted over who would prove too slow or too stupid to achieve the ultimate goal. Even if this was how all the Nightsister's had selected mates for centuries, I still could not help but feel completely strange. It just wasn't natural. How was I supposed to feel totally _okay_ with this arrangement? And what of the zabraks? How did they feel about this? Did they feel anything?

Amidst my musings, I noted instantly that while three of the zabraks charged on through the mazes, running haphazardly into dead ends and various wrong turns, the handsome zabrak was taking things smartly slow. That one was definitely a veteran. He knew how to work through these things... and my interest was peeked as once again I struggled to not pick a favorite.

There was still a great possibility that this particular, slow going zabrak would not be fast enough...

As I continued to track that one zabrak's movements, I noted how he worked through the entire maze, calculating each of the turns and not panicking when he did come across dead ends. Meanwhile, the zabrak who had been the first to charge into the maze had now reached the center of the maze and snatched up his flag before darting back towards the way he'd come. However, his speed meant nothing when he found himself clearly confused as to which direction he had come. Wall after wall of wrong turns did he face, bringing any hopes of progress to a smashing halt.

Turning my attention back to watching the slow one, it wasn't long before he came into the center, and managed to do so second to last. Holding my breath, I watched as he scooped up the flag and darted now back into the maze route he'd come. This was where he picked up amazing speed. Not one wrong move did he make. Somehow, he'd managed to memorize his entire path and here he was, zooming through the course ahead of all the others! With amazing swiftness, he darted through the correct paths and an inward sense of relief flooded through me when it turned out he was the first through.

I stood up hastily from my high position and easily sprang off the tall rock, flipping through the air on my way down the slope with graceful, well practiced agility.

When I landed at the bottom, I approached the victorious zabrak with curiosity and definite interest.

"Well done," I commended, "That was impressive."

He turned towards me, and my heart caught at his sheer size and strong stature. His eyes were calm and gentle, not the slightest spark of haughtiness did I detect within them. He nodded, his head dipping deeply.

"Thank you."

His voice was deep and pleasant and I took a step back as that same stupid lurching sensation in my stomach returned.

I hesitated, standing quietly and wondering what I should say next, if anything.

Luckily, another of the competitors finished up a few short seconds afterwards and came over to join us, panting from exertion. The third male came out not too long after that, but the fourth was no where to be seen.

Knowing there was no reason to wait, I beckoned the three to follow after me for the next section of the competition. Brother Viscus waited behind to properly dismiss the last zabrak for me.

This upcoming trial would be the most exciting.

"The next stage will be combat against _me_," I stated as we walked to a flat sparring ring.

"No weapons, just pure skill," I added, turning to face them with hands on my hips. The expressions of the males were slightly taken off guard, but they each recovered quickly.

As it was, I was doing my best to produce all the self confidence I should have been feeling. It wasn't hard to put on a face, especially since I'd had to equip myself with it time and time again when facing my own Nightsisters in combat. But I told myself there was no real reason to worry.

After all, the Nightbrothers did answer to the Nightsisters for a reason...

Once we had each entered the large spar ring, I turned to face the final three competitors.

"Begin," I called, lifting my chin to eye the males. I'd seen enough of them that day to know at least some of their major weaknesses.

For the tallest zabrak it was his over-confidence. For the smaller, more compact male it was his impulsive decisions. But for the other zabrak... the '_impressive_' one... I wasn't quite sure. He hadn't shown much of any incompetence and had excelled in each of the tests so far...

He'd shown brute force and skill, for sure, but he had also shown keen intelligence and the patience to wait even when eager or anxious. I would have to be careful with that one.

Now, I would take them all on at once, and see who remained, and who proved unworthy.

It was only slightly intimidating, seeing three well muscled and large males facing me with the intentions of taking me down, but I couldn't keep the ready smile off my face.

This was definitely going to be a _fun_ experience.

I'd grown bored with sparring against the same set of sisters at the fortress. At least here I would get a new challenge!

Just as I had expected, it was the smallest zabrak who charged towards me first. I waited till the last possible second before swiftly twisting out of harms way and sending a knee right into the side of the hunter's torso, following up with a crack of my elbow between his shoulders.

With a swift set of well located kicks and damaging pressure points, I had the smaller hunter down on the ground, gasping for air. Feeling my body tremble with adrenaline and excitement, I back flipped away from my downed opponent to put some distance between us.

"You better get in here and help him," I beckoned to the other two.

Inwardly, I did commend them both on the fact that they had waited to see just what kind of opponent they were dealing with before rushing in at me. Again, instead of coming at me at once, it was the tallest of the zabraks to approach me next. He strode forward with a powerful stride, his eyes intense as they locked upon me with a predator's stare.

I analyzed him with appreciation, surprising myself with how allured I was to these males, in all their magnificent, beastly glory. Even in his over confidence the zabrak was impressive and attractive. Shaking my head into focus, I allowed the self-confident male to continue stalking me, knowing he was using an intimidation technique. I was familiar with it, and at one point in my life, might have actually fell for the tactic. But not today.

I watched him intently, using my own calm and peaceful expression to unsettle my attacker in turn.

Only someone extremely skilled could display such assurance in their features when facing such an opponent as this.

I was small, and indeed many in my past had dared to call me weak... but this young zabrak would have to find out the truth for himself. The hard way.

...


	7. Chapter 7

Okay folks! Thanks for checking back in and I hope you continue to enjoy the story! Things are about to get extremely active! :D

* * *

><p><strong>Search For The Father<strong>

* * *

><p>Chapter Seven<p>

...

The zabrak charged at me. His shoulders tense, his jaw clenched and his arms pumping by his sides. When he came within striking distance the male unleashed a wild fist aimed straight towards my chest.

I sidestepped, dodging swiftly, and answered with a left hook to the big brute's under jaw, which he did not expect.

However, I didn't stop there. This was a big male, and he could take a lot of punishment. As it was he had recovered quickly, unleashing another swipe my way. I responded by weaving away from his strike and landing a forceful kick to the side of his knee. The shot was swift and sudden, causing him to loose balance. Once he was off center, tilting over, I followed up by delivering a harsh crack to the back of his neck with my elbow, just under his skull.

Crying in pain and anger, the zabrak went down into the dirt, no doubt his vision was going black. But I didn't linger to watch his pain.

As soon as I'd finished landing those hits, I back flipped away towards the single remaining male still standing in the ring who had not yet entered into the fight. I decided to come at him with my own unexpected attack, not wanting him to get any more time to survey my tactics.

My first strike came in mid air while I was bending out from my final backflip, but the warrior evaded my strike and moved in, taking initiative to try and trip me up the moment my feet hit the ground.

The moment my foot touched down it was swept out from under me. Fear and surprise lurched through me. Luckily, my body was accustomed to be knocked down, and automatically knew how to roll into the fall in order so that I was able to regain both my feet a couple yards away.

I eyed the zabrak carefully, noting his size and the sheer thickness of his legs, thighs, arms and chest. He wasn't as foolish of an opponent as my last ones had been and I found myself intrigued and silently impressed by him.

However, the moment I noted the zabrak was not advancing towards me, but was taking time to watch me again, my brain went instantly back into fight mode, calculating just how I was going to take him down. His body was all broad mass and strength so I would have to continue to use precise pressure points. Either that, or center my many hits to the face or the back of his head.

It was a challenge, rethinking all of my fighting tactics which I normally used with ease against my sisters. These brothers were a totally different story and I had to admit, I was momentarily uncertain if I had enough strength to take this one in particular down...

Not wanting to waste any more time, I swept forward all of the sudden, scooping in towards his right and landing an exploring hit to his side there.

After the hit had struck, I twisted to the left hastily, delivering another quick set of strikes, done for the sole purpose of rattling his cage.

He grunted at the impacts but was not slowed. He set forth a motion to strike at me, and I noted how he had calculated moves to keep me dancing about, unable to find a good balance point for my feet. Aside from the slight frustration I began to feel, I was also pleased. He was smart, and always thought on the offensive.

I weaved and managed to avoid getting knocked down but as I set up for another bbarrage of attacks I suddenly became aware that I was being rushed once more by the very first zabrak I had taken down. The short, compact one.

Using my unnatural agility skills, I sprang straight up into the air, jumping clear up over the second warrior, and thus causing the charging zabrak to barrel into the intelligent one.

As soon as I had dodged the incoming threat, I found myself being advanced on by the self-confident zabrak. Knowing he was no real challenge, and already having faced him, I met him half way in a collusion of hard hits. To my own satisfaction, I made speedy, vicious work of bruising his body in various places and quite possibly breaking his knee.

I heard a crack when I'd kicked it, and the male had cried out in agony.

_Pathetic_.

As soon as I was finished wreaking havoc on the incompetent competitor, I once again turned my attention over to the intelligent zabrak and the short one. Both were back up and seemed to be trying to coordinate an attack against me.

The intelligent one made a hand motion and they began to move in from both sides, slowly and with caution.

I smiled lightly, feeling somewhat amused, but I settled back into a ready stance. The sudden sobering thought that this would quite possibly be the final determining factor of who would be my mate, caused my stomach to churn in anticipation.

The intelligent one lunged.

I reacted quickly, jumping to the side but also throwing a punch as I dodged. The zabrak evaded my fist, throwing his leg in a strong kick that caught me off guard.

As it was, the kick impacted to my torso and I stomached it with some surprise.

It was enough to stun me long enough to be tackled down by the second zabrak. I rolled, keeping up the momentum from being knocked down and ended up on top of the zabrak, with my legs strapped around his waist. I punched the large male upside the head several times before I sensed the intelligent one coming up behind me.

With a swoop through the air, I heard his arms snatching out to lock around me but I acted a slight bit faster than he.

In a sudden act of impulse, I once again sprang upwards in another unexplainable leap, to flip backwards over him and land behind his position.

As soon as I landed, I gave a kick to the center of his back, shoving him to stumble over the already downed warrior.

He growled lowly and dived to the side, just avoiding landing on top of the other dazed zabrak. I could see the lines of growing frustration on their faces. Not wanting them to become too enraged, for I knew that it would only lead to me beating the sense out of the both of them, I decided then and there that the fight was over.

I lifted a hand.

"That one has been eliminated," I declared, pointing over towards the zabrak in the far distance who was still nursing his injured knee.

"Next challenge," I said, motioning the remaining two after me and away from the sparring circle. I didn't look back over my shoulder to make sure they followed.

()()()

I led the two males, towards where Brother Viscus and his second in command had been waiting, overseeing the fight. Facing the competitors, I motioned them to sit upon the ground in proper meditation stance. Both exchanged odd looks to one another but complied. Once they were seated, I produced from my cloak two black blind folds.

I had ripped the black fabric strips from a part of my own garments during the time I had watched each of the other earlier events. It wasn't until the spear throwing that I had actually come up with an idea of how to test for spiritual sensitivity within the final two competitors. Now I would find out if it worked...

I paced around them to apply the blind folds nice and gently, but tight enough to keep them from falling.

"This is about your instincts," I informed them with a small grin.

"You won't see my hand coming to slap you, but you'll sure feel it if you don't act to stop me," I warned, coming to sit right before the smaller zabrak first. His face twitched with displeasure at the idea of getting slapped and I couldn't help but grin.

"When you think I'm coming, you lift your hand to block me like this," I instructed, taking hold of his hand and lifting it to mimic the right way. His skin was tougher than any I had ever felt, and when my grip first made gentle contact with him, I felt my heart beat slightly quicker with the different sensation.

Of course, I'd touched them a bit ago... but punching and kicking hardly had qualified at the time.

The warrior nodded but was still making a face, clearly not pleased about this humiliating set of circumstances. However, I knew this test was far bigger than simply goading their egos.

Mother Talzin had made it clear that I could not take a mate who did not have a level head, but she'd stressed the importance of the male having high spiritual sensitivity even more so.

And this test would require above and beyond the typical instincts that a good warrior possessed. They would have to predict what they could not see coming. They would have to rely on a force beyond themselves.

That was something even _I_ was still working on...

I stayed still and silent, keeping my breathing even and quiet.

Then, I struck.

My slap was not brutal, but it hurt enough that the warrior would definitely _not_ want to have it happen again. As it was, he grimaced briefly, his jaw clenching in irritation.

I slapped again, and again. Then, the fourth time, the male snapped his hand up and caught my wrist. A lucky a guess.

The process was repeated a few times, with the warrior only managing to block that only one of my slaps out of the six that I delivered. Each time he'd become more on edge, but no less prepared. His arm would jump out at unnecessary times, or he'd block too slowly. He'd been relying on his hearing, or so I believed, and that did him little good.

Finished with him, I then moved to the intelligent one. Even sitting before him I felt slightly nervous. Taking a deep breath, I lifted my hand to his arm, showing him just as I'd done for the other male how to block my incoming hit. Silently, I relished the feel of him. His skin also was rough, but it had a pleasant warmth to it...

Berating myself for getting so easily distracted, I removed my hand from his and got back to business at hand.

The male sat calmly, not betraying any of the same signs of displeasure that the other zabrak had.

I could not deny that I had strong hopes that this zabrak would do better than his competitor in this challenge... but there was every bit of chance that he would do just as bad, or worse.

"Deep breaths, try to feel it. Don't go off on a whim. You need to _feel_," I instructed softly.

He nodded.

I waited then, leaving him in silent suspense for a good few minutes before lashing out suddenly.

His hand shot up to block the strike.

As he took my wrist in his grip, I felt a deep sense of satisfaction and appreciation. Now _that_ showed great promise... He had blocked on his first try. Excitedly, I withdrew and repeated.

Again, he caught me. My heart beat more rapidly, as I continued my erratic attempts to land a slap on him. But each of the six times, he rose and blocked.

I was left astounded. Such raw, untapped potential... and already he was so intune! It had taken me years to find my spiritual center! Part of my soul wrenched in jealousy.

Even now, after years of practice, I doubted that I was capable of successfully using my senses when in a dire situation.

I breathed out shakily, and slowly lifted my hand up to remove his blind fold, sliding it gently away from his eyes.

He blinked at the fresh light and then fixed his gaze upon me, his expression softly curious.

So... this was the one then...

I swallowed, definitely pleased but at the same time, slightly hesitant. This was to be my _mate_... My brain still could not fathom that. Perhaps it was because I had no idea how to relate him into my own life. Everything about him would be completely foreign to me. But what I did know was that I thought I liked him, and that was something to start with.

"Well done..." I said at last.

He nodded simply, "Thank you."

I took that moment to look deep into the zabrak's sharp eyes, wondering just _who_ he really was. So much mystery swirled behind those rich irises and I couldn't help but wish that I knew more about him...

"What is your name?" I asked at length.

"Xadus," the young male answered. _Xadus_... I liked that name.

"What of your own?"

I blinked at the fact that he felt confident enough to inquire a name in turn from myself. Up until that point, none of the other males, including Brother Viscus had dared to ask me a personal question. It felt nice to have that interaction once more.

"I am Souza," I replied.

Glancing over to the other zabrak, I reached over and removed his blindfold.

"You are free to go," I stated, motioning that the losing zabrak leave.

The warrior pursed his lips but nodded deeply and stood up, leaving us.

It was at that time that Brother Viscus came forward.

"Are you satisfied then sister?" he inquired carefully.

I regarded Xadus another moment, my heart flip flopping and my gut fluttering with excitement at his attractive features and lively eyes. Eyes that I hoped would reveal to me the soul of a mate as constant and reliable as he had proven himself in the fighting ring that day...

"Yes," I answered, a small smile gracing my lips.

...

(In case you were wondering at what point Xadus's POV is coming back, it will be the next chapter!)


	8. Chapter 8

Hello folks! Sorry it's been a while since my last update! I've been busy with family stuff, and haven't been too focussed on Fanfiction lately! However, I finally have another chapter for you, and I hope you like it!.

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><p><strong>Search For The Father<strong>

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><p>Chapter Eight<p>

...

"Are you satisfied then, sister?" asked Brother Viscus.

The Nightsister turned her black tatted face towards me, her eyes piercing intensely into my own.

"Yes," she replied. Our faces were closer than what was comfortable, and my heart was thudding hard in my chest, adrenaline left over from the Selection now pooling cold into my tightly coiled stomach.

So, the Nightsister- _Souza_... was pleased.

I suppose I should have felt instantly relieved, but instead I just watched her tensely, pensive and wary.

My muscles were still clenched, the memory of her speed and lethalness in battle still vividly fresh in my mind.

I had claimed victory over all of my brothers, even Sivas, in front of the village and the elders, a fact which should have rewarded me with much pride, but at the same time I had witnessed a sister with skill enough to nearly frighten me. Of course, the terms of the battle had been complicated and I was convinced that I would have preformed better had it just been her and I in the sparring ring. But still. She'd succeeded in intimidating me.

The fact that I had won the grand prize of becoming this Nightsister's mate was by no means appealing. I certainly didn't _want_ her. At the moment, I could not conjure up a single reason why I should be pleased with myself for having won her to be my own.

That was, until I happened to lock eyes with my father.

He was standing just beside Brother Viscus after having arrived from his command post in the village. I had no idea if he'd actually been witness to all of the Selection events, but the doting smile he fixed upon me was the warmest, most fulfilling sight I had ever seen.

Suddenly, I was thinking that all this just might be worth the while.

My father Neprad had been the most instrumental part of my training. Why, he was as much a part of this victory as I was. Without his consistent dedication and support throughout my development I would not have made it far into the Selection, much less been the victor.

With a deep sigh, I decided not to let my usually brooding temper keep me down. I turned my gaze back to the Nightsister to analyze her. There had to be _something_ in this set of circumstances that enticed me.

She was beautiful to be sure, this _Souza_... But she was also dangerous. I'd been rather bold in asking for her own name, after she'd inquired of my own. However, I'd been rewarded positively, and not reprimanded. I couldn't deny this was uplifting to me.

From the moment I stood in line with my fellow brothers and first beheld her up close, I had sensed the power emanating off of her in billowing waves. As she'd paced the ranks, her shoulders square, her brilliant green eyes sharp and shrewd, I'd seen every indication that she would be as cruel as my brothers had forewarned me.

However, when she'd stopped before me a moment to survey me closer, she looked me straight in the eye, and I had taken the liberty of delving into her gaze, seeking for what lie beneath. She had been well guarded, to be sure, but her eyes had lacked the cold indifference that I had expected...

In all truth... she'd almost seemed _curious_. This came as quite a shock to me.

Then, once the Selections had begun, my preconceptions of the Nightsister Souza had truly crumbled to an abrupt halt.

The first rounds of the competition had proceeded with nothing out of the ordinary. But then, my world was rocked when I realized the Sister had actually _refrained_ from taking any lives of my fallen brothers. Such a demonstration of mercy had not ever been practiced by Nightsisters to my knowledge. They were cruel, heartless creatures with absolutely no tolerance for those who they deemed below them.

_Souza's_ behavior did not fit into any category I had been prepared to expect. Why spare the loosing men, when weakness had always been a fault intolerable to the sisters? She certainly had the skill to take their lives if she had so wished.

What was I to make of her?

She was nothing but an illusive riddle to me, much like the texts of old literature my father had used to read to me every night after our supper.

"I will require a room to stay for the night," Souza commented suddenly. "I have some questions I intend to ask of you before we depart in the morning."

"Of course," Brother Viscous replied with a quick nod to her.

Souza then looked back to me and stood up from off the ground.

"You have tonight to gather your things. You will be coming back to the temple with me for a time," she informed quietly.

I followed Souza's lead and stood, uncertainty filling my heart at the idea of leaving my home.

None the less, I did my best to hide my discomfort and pursed my lips with a nod.

"Very well."

There was a momentary lapse of silence where I took my time just watching her. The sister seemed to be hesitating, and quite suddenly, her entire countenance shifted from being sure and directing to anxious and awkward.

"You... uh... you and I are going to be mates now," Souza practically stuttered, her eyes lifting up to mine briefly before fluttering away again. "Do you have any issues with that?"

Wait, _**what?**_

Her pensive demeanor in addition to her question stunned me senseless.

She was _asking_ me?

But of course I couldn't answer her truthfully! The Twin Gods knew I had every reason in the world to wish to back out of this unfair system, set up by generations of prejudice female ancestors! However, despite my own nervousness about all of this, I was not so stupid as to deny the Nightsister anything. It was against custom and despite my feelings on the situation I would never willingly bring shame upon my father.

"I have no issues, no," I answered.

She regarded me, then nodded.

"Alright."

She then turned away to follow the lead of Brother Viscus who had her things unloaded from her speeder and brought to a small inn in the center of town.

Only now did I feel free to exchange a look and with my father. Neprad smiled warmly, approaching to place a heavy, warm hand on my shoulder.

"You did well, today. And I'm very proud of you."

I could not help but smile at my father's words. It always meant so much whenever he said them. And it made the situation I'd been dragged into... well... worth it. I nodded my head.

"Thanks, father."

We then parted, and I turned to start walking down the dirt road in a dazed state of shock. Evidently, I still did not fully grasp what was happening because I made it to my house without being arrested by a panic attack, and managed to even open my own door before collapsing against the side of the wall.

How long was I to stay away? How far would the journey be to the Nightsister temples? What kind of services would be required of me once I arrived? All I could remember from my childhood about the temples were the dark, gloomy halls, and the hard labor I'd been tasked with.

Surely nothing good could come of my living with the Sisters. Nothing good ever came of the Sisters...

I could only wish that my stay at the temples would not last long, and that I could return to my father to resume life as I'd always known it.

There was just one problem...

In all of the time that I had grown and seen the way things in society were run, I'd never felt settled with it. Too much about our culture made my skin crawl with anger at the injustices my brothers were subjected to. Naturally, I did not know any other way, but I did know that I was extremely dissatisfied.

And what was more... it concerned me that by letting Souza take me as her mate, my child...be it male or female, would either become a slave like myself, or be enslaved to the ritualistic ideals of Mother Talzin...

Sighing and lifting a hand to rub my face, I was suddenly besieged by a great, hulking reptile that came at me with an excited screech.

"Oh no, Vas! Down! Vas!" I cried.

The four-legged reptile, called a Kamurith, stopped its charge just in time before careening into me, the tall orange sail on its back wavering side to side. My pet looked up at me with shining orange eyes and panted. A grin tugged at my lips and I bent down and patted her on the head, feeling the thick, rough, almost scale-like skin that covered the animal's body.

Turning, I patted my thigh, signaling Vas to follow me as I made my way to my own room. I needed to begin packing my things, however much I loathed to do it.

Naturally, I did not own much. I grabbed the same bag I usually took while going on prolonged hunting trips and placed my spare clothes inside, as well as various small knives, attaching other weapons to the outside of the pack, and folding in whatever small personal items I owned.

Only once I was done did I take a seat on my bed- a wooden frame with a thick skin stretched over it, a feathered pillow, and several blankets of varrying materials ranging from skins, to pelts, to cloth made from harvested plant fibers.

Vas climbed up onto the bed as well, her massive weight (all 80 kilograms of her) straining the frame and the skin wrapped around it. The reptile put her head in my lap, after several moments making a small vibration in her throat, almost a purr. Vas usually had the knack for being acutely aware of my moods and seemed particularly troubled by the one I currently was in...

There was no way I could explain to her why I felt the way I did, but her big, scaly mass sitting next to me did wonders to comfort me in my moment of weakness. For the next hour I remained in my room, reflecting on my years in this quaint village and all the memories I cherished here.

Perhaps it was stupidly sentimental, considering I knew I would be returning eventually, but I sat there moping away my afternoon none the less. Finally, when I was finished with my pity party, I got up and left the house, determined to find something interesting to do.

The inn house of the village doubled as a bar, and though I was decidedly not a drinker- save for very happy occasions- (which were few and far between as it was) there were times when I did not mind sharing company with the males who I found there.

I would have gone to spend time with my father, except for he was still officially on duty, and it was best not to bother him while he had work to do. So I turned into the inn bar floor, looking to the counter which was slightly populated, and then to the tables where I suddenly spotted Souza.

She was sitting with a male Zabrak called Tosht. I did not know Tosht well, but then again, no one did. He was more of a recluse and didn't socialize except for on the rarest occasions.

Frankly, I was confused to find him sitting with Souza, a Nightsister of all people.

What could this mean? I waited, lingering in the entrance until suddenly Souza looked up, her green eyes fixing on mine. She looked pretty, a strange grace and loveliness about her that was completely unfamiliar to me in a village full of nothing but males. Even if I feared her, I could not deny I enjoyed looking at her.

Tosht, seeing me at the door way nodded respectfully my direction.

"Congratulations," he stated to me, standing from the chair as I approached.

I nodded in response.

"Thank you, Tosht."

"All happiness," Tosht finished lastly, also sending a quick glance to Souza before he left.

As the Zabrak retreated out of the inn, I couldn't help quirking my brow. However, I knew better than to press for answers. Instead, I turned to face Souza from where she was sitting at.

"I have my things packed and am ready for when you wish to depart," I informed.

Souza nodded then gestured to the now empty chair across from her.

"Would you like to sit?" she inquired softly.

I blinked briefly, surprised at the gesture, but nodded, and took the seat.

"Thank you," I said politely. Another awkward silence settled between us and I wondered if it would be wrong of me to speak first, or wait for her. Then, she spoke.

"Your village is nice," Souza commented. "Very different then my own... but still pleasant," she added.

I swallowed, unsure what kind of territory this conversation would lead to but finding I had no choice but to explore it.

"The Nightsister village has many differences, especially the terrain," I returned. "I wouldn't suppose you have ventured beyond the forests before?" I asked with a touch of care in my tone hoping not to offend or annoy her.

"This was my first time to venture outside of our territory, yes," Souza admitted openly.

I was not surprised.

"With the other clans out there, it seems reasonable not to leave the boarders unless looking for a mate," I responded.

"It is true. Aside from males, our forests have all we Nightsisters really need..." Souza agreed with a small shrug.

With what seemed another almost-lull in the conversation, I wondered if I should ask about Souza's conversation with Tosht. It wasn't appropriate at all for me to ask, but my curiosity often inspired me to do unwise things.

After a moment, I threw caution to the wind.

"Could I ask you something...?"

Souza's eyes lifted up to mine, sending a shiver of apprehension through me. But she responded pleasantly.

"Yes, of course," she replied.

Taking encouragement from this, I rushed on with what I wanted to say before I got cold feet.

"I was curious about why you were speaking with Tosht before I arrived," I explained, hoping she would feel free to elaborate and not shut down the conversation before it had even begun. She seemed... obliging enough, though.

Souza's eyes sharpened slightly and my blood ran cold. I'd stepped out of place. I'd pushed it, and now I'd get it. I braced, preparing for the raging outburst. But to my relief, she merely sat quietly, studying me closely.

I could not help but feel like she was searching into my soul, the way she held contact with my gaze. I struggled to not feel inferior under her scrutinizing stare. Then at last, she answered.

"I was curious to know the name of my father... and whether or not he still lived within this village..."


End file.
